Spain - Harvey World Travel

A South Pacific
family break
French-style
Tahiti is the perfect stopover on a long trans-Pacific flight, and a great place for children
to garner some foreign language skills, writes on location Editor, Tracey Mehrtens.
After two busy weeks on a recent road
trip holiday in the USA, the relaxing islands
of Tahiti offered a welcome change of
pace, beautiful scenery and tropical
warmth before we headed home to New
Zealand. Only one hour ahead with
daylight saving – but a day behind – Tahiti
also provides a gentle way of easing
yourself back into your usual time zone.
And from Papeete, it’s less than a six-hour
flight home.
Tahiti et ses îles (Tahiti and Her Islands)
comprises five archipelagoes in the
southern Pacific Ocean, sprinkled over
an area the size of Europe. Home of the
stunning black pearl, this overseas territory
of France possesses a romantic South
Pacific charm with more than a dash of
Gallic style.
Arriving at our hotel, the Manava Suite
Resort in Papeete, the beauty of Tahiti – as
always – amazes me. From the terrace of
our suite, the wide views are breathtaking,
the infinity swimming pool blending invisibly
into the lagoon backdrop and the craggy
outline of the mainland’s nearest island,
Moorea, which dominates the skyline.
Colourful lagoon sea life encircles the
pool where the reef drops away for some
magical snorkelling.
The Manava Suite Resort isn’t far from
Tahiti’s main hub of Papeete where
we head for a taste of local cuisine.
Every night, the town square comes to
life crammed with les roulottes – food
caravans – to satisfy every taste at a very
reasonable price: Chinese, French crêpes,
fresh seafood, even good old steak frites
(steak and chips).
Pull up a stool and settle at a picnicstyle
table in the balmy evening breeze,
soaking up the local atmosphere as
you feast. It’s not only a place to dine
but also to catch up with friends over a
relaxed meal, with lilting Tahitian verse
and ukuleles twanging in the background.
The adjacent band rotunda is circled by
children on bikes and skateboards, not
overly interested in eating and
more intent on playing.
Surrounded by French banter,
you could almost be in the
centre of Paris. Many Kiwi kids
learn French at school, so
it’s a chance to try out their
language skills. The local greetings of
bonjour and bonsoir, merci (thanks), au
revoir (goodbye) and, of course, how
to order a Coke (un Coca, s’il vous
plaît) – are soon rolling off the youngsters’
tongues, bringing smiles to the locals.
The signage around town also has them
reciting French out loud.
The next day dawns and we catch the
ferry to the nearby island of Moorea. A
short 30-minute trip away, it’s a true slice of
island life, tranquil, laid-back and beautiful.
As we loop around Cook’s Bay, it isn’t hard
to see why the great navigator, Captain
James Cook, fell in love with the island and
its people.
We head off with Moana Adventure Tours
to swim with stingrays and feed the sharks,
as well as hopefully catch a glimpse of a
moray eel. The warm water is crystal-clear,
30 harveyworld.co.nz on location